Insulator connecter



Aug. 14, 1922; 1,680,411

G. M. EATON El AL msim'ron comment! Filed any 15-, 1919 I mvENToiis wrrugssss. 7 George M Ema/7Z9 Edward-E Rosa.

m g ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14,1928.

" UNITED STATES PATEN GEORGE M.EATO1\T, orrrrrsnunen, AND EDNARD' E. nosn'ornnenwoon, PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS T WESTINGHOUSE INSULATOR commo'rnni Application filed July 15,

Our invention relates to supporting or connecting means for insulators and particu larly to clamps for high-potential insulators ordinarily comprising a plurality of similar flexibly-connected members.

, One object of our invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character that, shall have substantially no machined parts and that may be assembled in a simple and expeditious manner. p

Another object of our invention is to pro vide an insulator connecter clamp that shall be interlocked in holding position and so movable, relatively to the insulator, as to permit it to assume a position in true alignment with the insulator and prevent the damage sometimes caused in cemented, and otherwise rigidly-related, members-in an in sulator of this kind.

'Heretofore, it has been usual, inin sulators of the chain or flexibly connec-ted series type, to employ connected insulating members each having a cemented pin at one end and a 3 cap member having a connecting hooker eye at the other end. In certain of these insula tors, the cap connecters have been ofsubstantially hollow-cylindrical form and dependent upon cement, screw threads, lock rings and variousother and .complicatedfdevices,

tion' on the insulator.

difficult of assembly, for attachment to a straight-side or anotherwiseformed projec.- We are aware that certain wood strain insulators have been provided with ordinary flaring or diverging gripping ends on which metal connecting members have been swaged and otherwise se cured in position, thereby permitting the. insulator to be placed indirect tension. These have been advantageously utilized in relatively-low-potential service but, to the best of our knowledge, the principle of this-type of end connecter has never been suggested for use with porcelain insulating-members in high-potential service. The application of this'principle, in connection with readilyremovable clamps, and particularly on connection with high-potential porcelain insulators, presents a different problem from that wherein the clamp is rigid-ly clamped or bolted and the insulating member is anon- V frangible material like wood.

wardly-flaring or diverging projection of 1919. ser aruo. 310,974.

considerable size and strength, relatively Y 1,680,411- T OFFECEQ ELECTItIC & MANUFACTURING COMP PANY, A COBPORAT ION OF PENNSYLVANIA. 1 W 1 i r and interlocked in operative position without the aid of instruments and tools. The bell member constitutes a terminal orsupport for the insulating member and is loose.- lyymounted thereon to permit longitudinal relativemovement. with. respect thereto.

Yleldable seat members, disposed between V themetal and porcelainmembers, permit the latterubyreason-of their relative movement,

to attain positionsin 'true' alignment with each. other, when assuming the load, to compensate for irregularities in the porcelain and,to thereby. better distribute the stresses therein. Theengaging surfaces. of the seat and insulating members aretogether inclined at an angle, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulator parallel to which the load forces extend, greater than'the'angle of frictional. repose between themand, although they are normal-ly'in repose under aconstant load, will move on one another 1n response to expansion and contraction of the members caused by temperature changes.

in section, of one endrof a strain insulator and a clamp embodyingour lnvention; Fig.

2 isanelevationalview taken at right angles to,Fig. 1,.and Fig. 3 is aview taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1 withtheinsulator removed, a

Referring to the drawings, an insulating Figure lgoffthe accompanying drawings 1s a view, partiallyin elevation and partially member 1,.preferably of porcelain, having a etticoat portion2 and a-n outwardly-fiaring or, overhanging projection provided V with an end bell or'cap member 4 for attach- J menttoanother insulatoror a suitable supportmg dev1ce (not shown), V w .-,':Ihe member 4 comprises two simllar and interchangeable half-portions or members 5 1:-

each substantially conforming to, and being slightly larger in interior dimensions than,

the outer dimensions of the projection 3. Segmental-ring portions 6, of yieldable ma terial, such as felt, are seated in dove-tail grooves 7. in the inner walls of the members.

5,,or otherwise suitably supported, and engage. the projection 3' to prevent fracture thereof when the. insulator is in tension.

.The portions 6 also adapt themselves, when tudinal relative movement,

the insulator is assuming a load, to any irre ularities that may be in the member 1 and thereby distribute the forces bet-ween the tion 3 are formed at such an angle with respect to the direction of the load forces as to exceed the angle of frictional repose between the members 6 and the projection 3, thus ensuring movement between the cap member 1 and the insulator 1, in response to expansion differences therein. In other words, the angle between the sloping sides of the projection 3 and the longitudinal axis of the insulator is such as to permit longiunder load, be tween the projection 3 and the cap member 4, whenthe latter expands. It may be seen that, if the angle between the sides of the projection and the horizontal were less,the load forces could not cause such longitudinal relative movement. Spac'esS, betweenthe portions 6, provide means for draining the pockets formed by the members 5.

Each member 5 is provided with diametrically=opposite lugs 9 and 10 for interlocking co-operation with the lugs 10 and 9, re-

spectively, of the other member 5. Lugs 11, having registering,preferably rectangular, openings 12, receive a connecting link 13 of substantially U-shape and conforming to the openings 12 in cross section.v The link 13, that may be held in position-by a cotter pin 14, assists in holding the members 5 in interlocking relation to each other and with respect to the projection 3 and provides means for connecting the member 1- to a similar member or to a supporting bracket. 1 In assembling the insulator, one of the 3 members 5 is'held inposition against the projection 3 and the other member 5, byreason of its greater inside dimensions, as compared with the flange 3, is placed there- 7 abutmentalong the dividing line between them but slightly angularly displaced with respect to the other member against in flat 5 about a horizontal axis and'with'the overing lapping portions of the lugs 9 and 10 out of horizontal register. A' slight relative turnmovement. of the members 5, about a horizontal axis, seats the lugs 10, that are of substantially hook-shape, over the lugs 9 andbrings the openings 12 into register for the reception of the link 13, 'after which the cotter pin 1&1, or other suitable means, may

l 'be positioned to prevent the withdrawal of the link. i

The arrangement provides an extremely effective insulator support that uniformly distributes load stresses, compensates expansion movements and admits of greater simplicity and facility of manipulation. in tbistype of insulator, than has, to the;best of our knowledge, heretofore been used.

interlocking portions being adapted Further, a lineman may readily renew an injured insulator unit,-of a set of insulators, 1n minimum time and wlth little or no structure longitudinally divided into sepa-v rable interchangeable sections for longitud1-' nal interlocking relation to said "end an having preshaped rigid integral transverse for holding the sections together.

2. A suspension insulator device, for an insulating member embodying a terminal projection having an enlarged outer end, comprising a longitudinal-tension. terminalcap structure adapted to'cover said end in longitudinal interlocking relation thereto andlongitudinally divided into separable interchangeable component sections having co-operat-ing outer-end holding'p'ortions and preshaped rigid integral interlocking portions adjacent to the inner-end perimeter of the cap. p 3. A suspension insulator device, for an insulating member embodying; a terminal projection having an enlarged outer end, comprising a longitudinal-tension terminal structure adapted to'embrace saidendv in longitudinal interlocking relation thereto and longitudinally divided into sections each having a pair of rigid laterally projecting integral lugs,'one 'of which is of substantially hook-shape, the hook lug of each section I to interlock with the other lug of the next adjacent-section.

4. The combination with an insulating member embodying a terminal projection having anenlarged outer end, of a longitudinal tension terminal structure longitudinally divided into separable sections having longitudinal interlocking relation to said end and presbaped rigid integral transverse interlocking portions for holding the sectionstogether.

5. The combination with I an insulating member embodying a terminal projection having an enlarged outer end, of a longitudin al tension terminal-cap structure covering said end in longitudinal interlocking relation thereto and divided into separable interchangeable component sections having cooperating outer-end holding portions and preshaped rigid integral interlocking portions adjacent to the inner-end perimeter of the cap.

6. The combination with an insulating member embodying a terminal projection substantially hook-shape, the hook lug of each sectioninterlocking with the other lug of the next adjacent section.

7. A suspension insulator device, for an insulating member embodying a terminal projection having an enlarged outer end, 1 comprislng a longitudinal-tension terminal structureadapted to embrace said end in longitudinal interlocking relation thereto and longitudinally divided into interchange able half sections, each having adjacent to its inner-end perimeter a rigid laterally, outwardly, projecting integral lug and a rigid laterally, outwardly, projecting integral hook substantially diametrally opposite the lug said lug and hook interlocking with the'hook and thelug of the other section, respectively, each section also including an outer end portion having an aperture registering with the other, and means for disposal in said'apertures for assistingin holding said sections together and for mounting the insulator.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed. our names this 30th day of June,

, GEORGE EATON.

EDWARD n. ROSE. 

